Uncle John
by Holz9364
Summary: 10 years after everything settles down on Atlantis, people have children, and 7 year old Samuel McKay looks around and see's families in all his Aunts & Uncles, but he doesn't understand why Uncle John has always been alone so he asks his Father.


**Uncle John**

"Dad, has Uncle John always been so lonely?" Samuel McKay asked his Father as he sat in the mess hall for dinner with his family.

Rodney exchanged looks with his wife; Jennifer only shrugged and let him answer the question, "What do you mean Sam?"

Samuel looked around the table at his 'family' as they all sat together, "You and Mom love each other. Uncle Ronan and Aunt Teyla love each other. Uncle Carson and Aunt Laura love each other and Uncle Radek and Aunt Katie love each other. Doesn't Uncle John love someone?"

Rodney sighed, unable to answer that question, and Jennifer smiled at her 7 year old son, "He did Sam, a long time ago, before you were even born."

Samuels's eyes widened, "Wow! How long ago?"

Rodney took over from Jennifer, more suited to answer that question, "Almost 10 years ago now. She's been gone a long time and your Uncle John still loves her very much."

Samuel was very curious now, as all children and McKay's are, "What happened? Why did she leave Uncle John?"

Jennifer bit her lip, "Long ago there were nasty people called replicators, they took her and Uncle John never found her."

Samuel frowned, "So Uncle John doesn't want to love anyone because he still loves her?"

Carson could see this topic was still painful for Rodney to talk about, and although it was painful for him too, he gave the man a break and took over from him, "Aye Sam, he's only ever loved her. No one could keep that lad until she met him and I don't think she ever loved anyone more than she loved Uncle John."

"What was her name?" Samuel asked, somewhat sadly.

A new voice answered Samuels question before anyone else could, "Her name was Elizabeth Weir."

Samuel turned around and saw his Uncle John standing behind them, leaning against the wall; he'd obviously heard the whole conversation. His eyes were empty and sad as he thought about her, he always thought about her.

"I'm sorry that you're lonely Uncle John." Samuel said, jumping up from his seat and hugging John around the waist.

John smiled a little, "I'm not lonely, I have you Sam, and you'r Dad and your Mom and all your Aunts and Uncles."

Samuel looked up at John, "But you don't have anyone to love." The little boy said wisely, a sad look in his eyes.

John sat down and pulled Samuel onto his knee, "I do have someone to love." He said honestly, "Just because someone is gone you don't stop loving them, I still love Elizabeth and think about her all the time."

"But don't you miss her?" Samuel asked, his wide eyes looking up at John in confusion, he didn't fully understand yet, he was too young.

"Of course I do." John replied, somehow managing to keep his voice steady, "I miss her every single day."

"Do you think you will ever love someone else?" Samuel asked, "I don't want you to be lonely forever Uncle John." The boy hugged John as he perched on his knee.

John smiled and remarked to Rodney, "He clearly gets his kindness and compassion from his Mother."

Jennifer smirked and Rodney rolled his eyes. John answered Samuels's question, "No Sam, I don't think I'll ever love someone else, I think I'll love Elizabeth until it comes time that I see her again. But don't worry; as long as I have everyone at this table I can never be lonely."

With a half-hearted smile he looked around at the people he considered to be his family, his best friends and he knew what he said to Samuel was true. But there would always be Elizabeth, everyday he'd think of her, he'd see something and relive a memory of her, even now, 10 years later he thought about her everyday. He didn't think he'd ever move on, get married, have kids, no; he had wanted that with Elizabeth and only her. But it was okay, because when his time came he would be with her once more, forever. And until then he had the greatest family in the universe to keep the loneliness at bay.

**The End!**


End file.
